* WIFR…
Legislators of both parties exploited a loophole in state law that allowed them to resign on the first day of the month and collect the whole month’s pay or get sworn in at month’s end but claim a whole month’s pay, according to Illinois State Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza.
That ends with this legislation. The new rules take effect Jan. 1, 2022.
The legislation takes effect in January, but that specific provision doesn’t kick in until the 103rd General Assembly. Why? Because, as countless court cases have confirmed over the years, it’s unconstitutional to raise, lower or otherwise alter legislators’ compensation during their terms in office.
* That history is missing from this story and likely in others that are yet to be written…
The new budget that Gov. JB Pritzker said he will sign into law gives a lot of money to a lot of groups and projects.
One group? The very people who wrote it: the elected lawmakers.
“Politicians are making enough money as it is,” resident Gary Nation said. […]
Last year, in the height of the pandemic, the budget did not appropriate the money for the raises, so the legislators’ wages remained the same.
But, this year, they decided to appropriate that money.
What they did this year was a far more honest way of doing things. If legislators don’t want pay raises, they either shouldn’t take them or pass a bill to permanently repeal the annual cost of living raises going forward.
* By the way, the main 2016 plaintiff in one of the many lawsuits over this particular topic was none other than House Speaker Chris Welch…
Half-a-dozen state representatives have sued the Illinois comptroller for holding up their paychecks during the state budget mess.
The Democratic lawmakers filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court on Friday demanding that Republican Comptroller Leslie Munger and Gov. Bruce Rauner “end unwarranted political pressure.”
In April, Munger began putting paychecks for the governor and lawmakers in line and pays them like other vendors’ overdue bills get paid.
The lawsuit was filed by Democratic representatives Emanuel “Chris” Welch of Hillside, Kate Cloonen of Kankakee, Lisa Hernandez of Cicero along with Chicagoans Mary Flowers, Sonya Harper and Silvan Tabares
The Senate passed a bill to take the pay raises out, and the House refused to take it up. So, good on Welch for staying consistent.
- PublicServant - Thursday, Jun 3, 21 @ 10:45 am:
ILGOP - We’re still angry, and still have nothing to offer…but anger.
- Sue - Thursday, Jun 3, 21 @ 10:48 am:
Complain as you wish about Texas but Texas pays its legislators $7200 a year
- NIU Grad - Thursday, Jun 3, 21 @ 10:48 am:
Complaints about politician’s getting paid is always such a lazy story. You just have to walk out onto the street and get a quote, like “Politicians are making enough money as it is,”. Yea, that’s an in-depth opinion there.
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Jun 3, 21 @ 10:50 am:
If you want people to run for office that are ordinary everyday folks, you need to pay them a sufficient salary. I can see why the GOP would be upset, they only want old money running the government.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 3, 21 @ 11:05 am:
–Texas pays its legislators $7200 a year–
That explains a lot.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Jun 3, 21 @ 11:06 am:
==If you want people to run for office that are ordinary everyday folks, you need to pay them a sufficient salary.==
So true. Constituents expect a Rep or Senator who is available 9-5 every week and who attends various community functions on evenings and weekends. On top of that, folks are very concerned about conflicts of interest when the legislator takes a salary from a law firm, union, etc. And few employers would be OK with an employee who needed to take leave January-May and again for a few weeks in the fall.
If we want full-time legislators from across the economic and work sectors, we need to pay a salary that allows people to serve full-time.
- PublicServant - Thursday, Jun 3, 21 @ 11:10 am:
=== Texas pays its legislators $7200 a year ===
Ya get what you pay for.
- The Doc - Thursday, Jun 3, 21 @ 11:22 am:
Agreed with Pot calling kettle on all points. I’d also argue that funding for legislative staffs should also be increased - their work is invaluable and frequently overlooked.
- Kekambas - Thursday, Jun 3, 21 @ 11:57 am:
Agree with The Doc. Hopefully they’ll see higher pay with that increase in district allocation, if I have my facts straight
- low level - Thursday, Jun 3, 21 @ 12:19 pm:
Of course, Illinois should look to Texas for examples on how to run state government. /s.
People who froze there last winter might disagree.
- Proud Sucker - Thursday, Jun 3, 21 @ 4:53 pm:
“Complain as you wish about Texas but Texas pays its legislators $7200 a year.”
Someone should tell Gov. Abbot that. His threat to not pay the Dems who walked out seems so much…less.